Potato masher



y 3, 1951 c. M. CAYLOR 2,559,186

' POTATQ MASHER Filed April 14, 1950 INVENTOR. C'x. ya: M UAW/.0

Patented July 3. 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POTATO MASHER Clyde M. Caylor, CamdenQTenn. Application April 14, 1950 Serial No. 156,023

1 Claim.

This invention relates to potato mashers and more particularly to a two part potato masher having one part pivotally connected to the other for folding of the two parts together for compactness for storage.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved potato masher having two parts pivotally connected together for folding to a compact condition for storage, in which the two parts are positively locked in operative positi'on relative to each other yet are easily released for folding, in which the pivotal connecting means and the locking means are resistant to wear and the locking means is resistant to accidental release, and which foldable potato masher retains all of the advantages of the rigid type now generally in use and is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture, and easy to fold and unfold.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claim in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein: Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a potato masher illustrative of the invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse cross sectional view on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on the line 3--3 of Figure 1; V

Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 2 but showing the parts in a condition in which they are released for folding whereas in Figure 2 the parts are in interlocking relationship; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view similar to Figure 3 but showing the parts in folded condition whereas in Figure 3 the parts are shown in operative position relative to each other.

With continued reference to the drawing, the potato masher comprises a handle II], a pair of elongated legs I I and I2 secured each at one end in the handle l and projecting from one end of the handle, and a grating |3 pivotally connected to the legs H and I2 at the ends of the legs remote from the handle I ll.

A ferrule I4 is secured on the handle at the end of the latter from which the legs II and I2 project and the legs diverge symmetrically from each other in a direction away from the handle and are bowed each in a direction away from the other.' At its end opposite the handle the leg H is provided with an arbor portion l which is disposed substantially perpendicular to the adjacent portion of the leg and extends in a direction away from the complementary leg l2 while the leg I2 is provided with a similar arbor portion it which is disposed substantially perpendicular to the adjacent portion of the corresponding leg and projects in a direction away from the leg I The grating I3 is formed of a single length of stiff wire of suitable diameter bent to provide a plurality of narrow elongated loops ll of somewhat hairpin shape having spaced apart, substantially parallel legs and arcuately curved end portions. The loops ll are substantially coterminous at each longitudinal edge of the grating so that the grating is generally rectangular in plan and the two ends of the length of wire from which the grating is formed are disposed at substantially opposite ends of the grating, as indicated at It and IS in Figure 2.

Two ears or lugs 23 and 2| are secured to the grating, one at each end of the latter, the lug 20 being secured to the wire of which the grating is formed near the end l8 and the lu 2| being secured to the wire near the end IS. The two lugs are preferably in the form of circular discs and are secured each at its edge to the grating wire and both lugs project in the same direction from the plane of the grating substantially perpendicular to such plane and parallel to each other.

The lug 20 is provided with a central aperture which pivotally receives the arbor portion I5 of the leg H and the lug 2| is provided with a central aperture which pivotally receives the arbor portion N3 of the leg i2 so that the two legs are pivotally connected to the grating I3 at respectively opposite ends of the grating.

The lug 2| is provided in its side adjacent the lug 26 with two diametrically extending grooves 22 and 23 which grooves are substantially perpendicular to each other and intersect at the location of the arbor receiving aperture in the lug. The groove 23 is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the grating while the groove 22 is spaced from and substantially parallel to this plane. The groove 23 is of rectangular cross sectional shape, as is clearly illustrated in Figure 2, and has a width and depth such that it receives at least one half of the portion of the leg |2 adjacent the arbor formation l6 so that the leg will be locked in this groove when the grating is perpendicular to the legs.

The groove 22 is preferably of V-shaped cross section so that the portion of the leg |2 adjacent to the arbor portion formation l6 will be releasably held in this groove but will be moved out of the groove when the grating I3 is turned from a position in which it is substantially parallel to the legs II and i2. to a position at which it is substantially perpendicular to the legs. When the grating reaches its position substantially perpendicular to the legs, the leg l2 snaps into the groove 23 to releasably lock the grating in this position relative to the legs.

The lug 20 is provided with two grooves 24 and 25 similar in all respects to the corresponding grooves 22 and 23 in the lug 2|. When the grating is in its position substantially parallel to the legs, the portion of the leg ll adjacent'the arbor formation 15 is received in the groove 24 and when the grating is turned from this position to its position substantially perpendicular to the legsthe leg II is forced out of groove 24 and snaps into the groove 25 to releasably lock the grating in its operative position substantially perpendicular to the legs as in the case of the leg l2 and groove 23 as described above.

When it is desired to return the grating from its operative to its folded position the legs I I and 1 l2. are squeezed together until they are moved out of the grooves 23 and 25 whereupon the grating may be freely turned relative to the legs to its folded position and when the legs are then released they will engage in the grooves 22 and 24 to releasably hold the grating in its folded position relative to the legs. 7

Because of the depth and the rectangular cross sectional shape of the grooves 23 and 25 the legs will not be accidently moved out of these grooves and the grating will be held in its operative position perpendicular to the legs against accidental displacement until the legs are squeezed together to release the grating for turning movement, as explained above.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claim are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

A foldable potato masher comprising a handle, a pair of resilient legs secured in said handle and projecting divergently from one end of the latter, each of said legs having a laterally pro- 4 jecting arbor portion on the end thereof remote from said handle, each projecting in a direction away from the other leg, a grating of rectangular shape, and lugs secured to said grating one at each end thereof and projecting in the same direction from said grating, each of said lugs being of substantially circular shape and having therein a substantially central aperture pivotally receiving the corresponding arbor portion, each of said lugs also having in the side thereof adjacent the correspondingleg, a first groove of triangular cross-sectional shape extending substantially diametrically of the lug across the aperture therein and substantially parallel to said grating, and a second groove of rectangular crosssectional' shape extending from said aperture in a direction away from said grating and substantially perpendicular to said first groove, the arbor portion of the corresponding leg being rotatably received in said aperture and said first groove releasably receiving the portion of the associated leg adjacent said arbor when said grating is turned to a position substantially parallel to said legs to releasably hold said grating in such parallel position, and said second groove receiving the portion of the corresponding leg adjacent said arbor and when said grating is disposed substantially perpendicular to said leg to lock said grating in said perpendicular position, said legs being removable from the.sec-. 0nd grooves in the corresponding lugs to release said grating for movement to said parallel position by manually pressing said legs together.

CLYDE M. CAYLOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Germany Dec. 22, 1921 

